Complete Precepts to be Transmitted
in the West

by
Bhiksu Heng Kuan

Can
you see events that will take place 2,500 years in the future?Skepticism is the major obstacle to accepting the validity of the
Buddha's prophecy, made more than two and a half millennia ago in India,
when he announced that Buddhism would make major moves eastward in its
course through history. The first occurred approximately five hundred
years after his death; it is a historical fact that Buddhism began
developing in China during the Han Dynasty.

Another
two thousand years have passed. Those who have listened have heard the
death rattle of Buddhism in Asia and those who have looked in the West
have seen "missionaries" from the East using the teachings to
become famous, selling meditation, and advertising occult powers to
attract gullible followers. The Buddha predicted this corruption of
Buddhism but indicated that in spite of the nearly universal decline of
the Teaching, the proper tradition would be transmitted intact to the
West.

What
is that tradition? All things have the Buddha-nature, and everyone may
become a Buddha himself. Regardless of whether anyone believes it, there
is nothing outside the Buddha-nature. Belief enables one to begin to
understand. It does not influence the actuality.

The
tradition consists of the methods, which enable one to put this
understanding into actual practice and attain enlightenment. One of the
most important methods is maintaining precepts, rules for behavior which
enable one to increase the power and wisdom achieved through other
practices, such as meditation. Without precepts, the adept's hard work
in meditation and study come to nothing and can on occasion be
destructive. The Buddha made this very clear.

And
so it appears that if the prophecy of the Buddha is to continue, the
complete precepts of Buddhism must be transmitted with the Teaching.There is no other way to preserve the genuine tradition, which
leads one to enlightenment.

The
question immediately arises in the minds of most men who are unfamiliar
with this subject, “Why preserve an antique like Buddhism? We’ve got
a lot more pressing problems to deal with today.” The answer is
simple. The genuine tradition of Buddhism, of which precepts form the
heart, represents the sole effective method to put an end to wars. If
one favors war, one increases war; if one opposes war, his opposition
makes another war, for the nature of war is opposition. To oppose war is
like trying to cool a pot of boiling oil by blowing on it, oblivious to
the fact that it is hanging over a raging fire.

Precepts pull war out by the roots because they extinguish the
seeds of hatred, contention and killing. War exists only because people
like to oppose, to boil in perpetual argument among nations, families
and individuals. War exists because those who oppose take their
opposition to the extreme of killing and contention one must put out the
fire beneath the pot.

It
is to this end that The Sino-American Buddhist Association will transmit
the complete precepts next summer at Gold Mountain Temple, San
Francisco.Citizens of all
nations are being invited to take part as an indication of the universal
spirit of Buddhism.

COMPLETEPRECEPTSOFTHE THOUSANDBUDDHAS

In
this age, which is so strong in fighting and strife, disasters and war
increase daily. We must find a means to rescue mankind and prevent the
annihilation of the entire world, consequently, in order to protect the
country, eliminate disasters, and seek peace and blessings for all
peoples, the members of The Sino-American Buddhist Association have
decided to transmit the Complete Precepts of the Thousand Buddhas for
the first time in Western history. This Dharma Assembly will last for
one hundred and eight days, beginning on June 7, 1972, and ending on
September 22, 1972. Buddhists of all countries and nationalities
throughout the world are cordially invited to attend and receive the
Complete Precepts of Sramanera, Sramanerika, Bhiksu, Bhiksuni, and
Bodhisattva. The merit thus established for mankind as well as the
benefits accruing to those of the future are truly unlimited.

Those interested in taking part should be aware of the following
items:

1.Since the United States and the City of San Francisco are
internationally significant, the Precept Transmitting Master, Karmadana,
and Teaching Master as well as the seven certifiers and others concerned
will all be high and virtuous monks from many countries who are leaders
of Buddhism.

2.The Sramanera Precepts will be transmitted on July 13, 1972.

3.The Bhiksu Precepts will be transmitted on August 19, 1972.

4.The Bodhisattva Precepts will be transmitted on Sept. 22, 1972.

5.Instruction in the Bodhisattva Precepts will begin on Sept. 15,
for all four assemblies of disciples. Laymen taking these precepts
should arrive prior to that date.

6.The deadline for registration is June 1, 1972.

7.Please direct all correspondence to:

Precept
Transmitting Committee

Gold Mountain Temple

1731 15th Street

San Francisco, Ca. USA 94103

Heng
Ch’ien, Advisor

Heng Ching, Chairman

Heng
Shou, Secretary General

Every
single living being enters the non-dual Dharma door and realizes the
triple enlightenment ground.

A
hundred realms of Buddhas sit on their thrones of thousand flowers
adorning the heaven of ten thousand virtues.